Long Term Monitoring of Health Inequalities: Headline Indicators – October 2014

All-cause mortality aged 15-44 years

Between 1997 and 2011, the mortality rate amongst those aged 15-44 years varied between 109 and 122 deaths per 100,000 population, and decreased to 103 per 100,000 in 2012. Within this age group, the drug-related death rate has more than doubled over the same period (to 20.8 per 100,000). The rate of death from assault, despite a decrease in the last year, has been relatively stable (at around 2 to 4 deaths per 100,000 population) while the suicide rate has dropped on consecutive years since 2008 to 18.3 deaths per 100,000 population - the lowest in the time series^[10].

Deaths amongst those aged 15-44 years are more than four times as common in deprived areas than in areas of low deprivation (213.8 per 100,000 population compared to 48.6 per 100,000, in 2012). Relative inequality levels increased between 2007 and 2011 to their highest level in the time series, before dropping sharply in 2012 to their lowest level since 1998. This followed a reduction in mortality rates in the most deprived areas, while conversely rates in the least deprived areas increased.

Inequalities gradient in 2012

Relative Index of Inequality (RII) over time

Absolute range over time

Scale / context

Note the total number of deaths in 1998 and 1997 has been subject to a minor revision since the previous report.